Bernarda Bryson (1903–2004)

Bernarda Bryson, whose illustrations for Natalia M. Belting's The Sun Is a Golden Earring were awarded a Caldecott Honor in 1963, here retells the ancient Sumerian epic of Gilgamesh for middle-grade readers. The story of the king of Uruk-of-the-Walls, whose friendship with Enkidu the wild man would involve him in many great adventures - the defeat of the monster Humbaba, the slaying of the Bull of Heaven, sent to destroy them by the vengeful goddess Ishtar - as well as a quest for immortality, when confronted with his friend's death, and his own mortality, Gilgamesh is faithfully presented by Bryson, who maintains in her afterword that such stories belong especially to children, and that her version, although a composite of many, is a true one.

I really enjoyed Gilgamesh: Man's First Story, which makes the text of this ancient poem - here "translated" into prose - accessible to younger readers. The story itself is incredibly moving, and young mythology lovers will undoubtedly see some parallels with other traditions, most notably between Gilgamesh's ancestor, Utnapishtim, and the figure of Noah in the Hebrew bible. Bryson's illustrations were inspired by actual Mesopotamian artifacts (there is an afterword that lists the source objects for each illustration), and a few of them include cuneiform inscriptions (also explained at the rear). All in all, a lovely retelling! I was already familiar with Ludmila Zeman's retelling of Gilgamesh for the picture-book crowd - Gilgamesh the King, The Revenge of Ishtar, The Last Quest of Gilgamesh - but am glad to find this edition meant for older children!… (more)